Surprise Baby
by iannageorge
Summary: When Percy and Leo Iris message Annabeth, Leo makes a very wrong assumption about the raven-haired baby in Annabeth's arms. Awkwardness ensues. (Set between The Hidden Oracle and The Dark Prophecy.)


As Leo and Percy had been discussing the dark prophecy at camp, Percy glanced at the setting sun. "I gotta get home," he said. "Annabeth and I will probably visit camp during the weekend though. She wants to punch you for disappearing on us."

Leo winced, as though he could feel the pain already. "Oh, hey, how is she, by the way? You said she had a family emergency a while ago. Everything okay?"

"It's all been taken care of. She's back in New York now," Percy grinned. "Just busy with school and designing Olympus, and… actually…" he said, "why don't we surprise her? It might also lessen the blow when she tackles you."

Leo would be so grateful for that. That girl could throw a mean punch.

Percy pulled a drachma out of his pocket and manipulated the water from his glass to create a rainbow. (Annabeth must have taught him a trick or two.) After making a silent prayer to Iris, Percy tossed the coin. He moved out of the out of the way so Leo would be out of the frame.

As the scene came into focus, they heard music.

 _—found a lover, to carry more than just my secrets_

A blonde woman appeared in shorts and a varsity jacket with the name "Jackson" emblazoned on the back. Percy's eyes lit up when he saw her. Annabeth was currently in what Leo recognized as Percy's parents' living room, slightly swaying and softly singing along the song playing in the background.

 _To carry love, to carry children of our own_

And on her chest, cradled in the warmth of her arms, was a raven-haired baby in a bundle of blankets. Leo's jaw dropped. His eyes bulged. They had a _baby?_ Already?

Annabeth didn't seem to notice the IM. She was still crooning to the child.

 _We are still kids but we're so in love_

 _Fighting against all odds_

Leo tried to reason through it. Considering he'd been gone for six months and that more than a month had passed since then, that meant Annabeth had been over a month pregnant at the end of the battle… meaning that when she and Percy fell… she was already… The thought made his heart clench. Had they even known at the time?

 _I know we'll be alright this time_

 _Darling, just hold my hand_

Annabeth's curly blonde hair was loose but tamed. She barefoot. It was the most domestic she'd ever looked. Percy watched them in awe, not wanting to interrupt them.

At least one good thing came out of the war, Leo thought. Percy and Annabeth had never appeared so calm and unworried before. He was happy for them. They deserved some P&Q—a normal life.

 _Be my girl, I'll be your man_

 _I see my future in your eyes_

Leo's mind then turned to a more amusing thought: Their sleepovers on the _Argo II_ must not have been so innocent after all.

But why didn't anyone bother to tell him the news these last several weeks? Maybe Percy and Annabeth were keeping it a secret, since monsters were always hunting them? Was that it? Did anyone else even know? Was _this_ the "family emergency" she'd been caught up in?

 _Baby, I—_

"OW!" The baby had grabbed a golden lock and pulled it. Annabeth silently mouthed an impressive range of swears, not wanting to curse in front of a child. She set the baby bottle down and pried the child's hands from her hair, positioning it behind her shoulder, out of the baby's reach. The baby just gurgled. Annabeth shook her head at her and smiled. "You think you can get away with that just because you're so cute, huh?"

"Hey," said Percy finally. "You okay?"

Annabeth turned towards his voice. "Percy!" his girlfriend answered excitedly but softly, smiling back at him.

Speaking gently, probably afraid he'd otherwise startle the child, Percy asked, "How are you? How's everyone? And how's this little squirt doing?"

"We're all doing well. I'm great," Annabeth responded. "This munchkin though was shrieking at the top of her lungs earlier, but tugging my hair seems to calm her down. She's been threatening to give me bald spots all day. Your mom said there might be a fixation for blondes built in Jackson blood."

Percy snorted. "Of course she did."

"I convinced her to go to the spa," Annabeth told him. "Paul's picking up her up now. So it's up to just me to be the little one's furnace. She's apparently still having temperature control issues. Poor thing."

Annabeth directed her attention to the baby girl and snuggled the child. "Are you warm now, baby?" she cooed.

The baby smiled. Annabeth kissed the top of her head.

"Has anyone told you how awesome you are?" Percy asked in adoration.

"You tell me every day, Seaweed Brain," she replied. "I miss you, Percy. You better come home soon."

"I will, I promise. But first, look who's here!" Percy motioned Leo over.

Into the frame of the IM stepped a stunned elfish Hispanic boy, who blurted, "You've been busy, I see."

But Annabeth paid no attention to his comment. "Leo!" she half-squealed, half-whispered. "Oh my gods, you're actually back! I missed you!"

"Just don't judo-flip me over your shoulder. I'm already bruised enough from everyone else's punches. I haven't even seen Jason yet. Or Piper. Holy Hephaestus, she's gonna kill me!" he said with a look of sheer terror in his eyes.

"Oh, and congrats for—" Leo glanced at the baby again. "What's her name?"

"Thanks," said Percy.

Annabeth just grinned. She turned her focus back to the baby. "Her name is Estelle," said the blonde.

"It means 'star'," Percy said.

Leo, now with a straighter head, turned to face him. "Dude, wow. This… is a huge effing deal. Must've been a big surprise." He wasn't usually this mushy… but maybe just this once. "I am _really,_ really happy for you guys. Congrats." He clapped Percy on the back.

"Thanks, man."

"Who does she look like?" Leo asked, turning back to the IM.

"Like Percy's mom," Annabeth told him. She tenderly gazed down at Estelle. "But Sally herself says Estelle's looking more and more like Percy when he was a baby. She is truly precious." The usually scary blonde chick held up the baby's tiny hand and kissed the back of her palm.

"Yo, Annabeth. This is the least scary I've ever seen you," Leo noted. "Motherhood looks good on you."

"Ha. Ha," Annabeth replied deadpanned.

There was some noise on Annabeth's end, causing her to suddenly turn away.

"Hey, Sally! Where's Paul? And how was the spa?"

Leo heard Percy's mother reply in the distant background. "Hello, sweetheart! Paul's helping Mrs. Torres with her groceries. He'll be here in a few. And the spa was wonderful, thank you."

"Hey, Mom!" Percy called out.

Sally greeted her son. "Annabeth is the best! She gave me a spa gift certificate. Thank you again, dear," Sally told Annabeth. "I really needed some time to relax."

Annabeth smiled. "No problem at all."

"How's Estelle?" asked Sally.

"She was a little screamy after you left, but perfect as always," Annabeth replied. "She was probably just hungry. I gotta say, she has an appetite that rivals her brother's."

 _"Brother?_ " Leo wondered aloud. "Whoa, Annabeth! You have—what?—twins?"

"Twins? What? I have—?" Annabeth looked at him in horror. "Oh gods, no, she's not _mine!"_

"Dude," Percy said. His cheeks were tinged pink. "Estelle is my _sister_."

Sally was laughing.

But... thought Leo. "Oh..." Sally was at the spa to get some rest, probably from the stress over taking care of a wailing baby. Annabeth also mentioned Paul. "Oh." Estelle looks like Percy's mom. "Oh, I see."

"Is that Leo?" Sally asked, coming over to see the IM.

"Hi, Sally." He cringed at his blunder. "I suppose congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, Leo. It's lovely to see you again," she said. "I'll send you some cookies."

"Oh my gods, Leo." Annabeth was still recovering from her shock. "Seriously?"

"All this time you actually thought she was our _daughter?_ " Percy asked.

Leo's cheeks turned pink. "It did seem like it. Yo, if Piper or Jason or Frank or Hazel or Coach Hedge saw your sister alone with Annabeth wearing a jacket with your last name on it and without _any_ sort of context while that Ed Sheeran song is playing in the background, I'm sure at least _one_ of them would think the baby would be yours.

"And it was definitely a possibility! I mean, you mentioned Annabeth had a family emergency. And it's been about nine months since your reunion, and who knows what you two lovebirds were actually up to on the _Argo II_ during your not-so-secret sleepovers that Coach Hedge grounded you for?"

"We were in the _stables_. What on _earth_ would we have been up to?" Annabeth argued, but was clearly mortified he brought it up with Sally present. Thankfully, Sally didn't comment on it, although she _was_ looking curiously at her.

"Well, all I know is that Frank was scarred for life after walking in on you two doing whatever it was you were doing, and Hazel was absolutely scandalized. They couldn't look either of you in the eye for at least a couple days. Maybe they knew something the rest of us didn't."

"Frank squirms at the slightest form of PDA," Percy pointed out, "and Hazel is from the 1940s. 'Nuff said."

"True… Of course, when you do have kids though, you have to name your first-born after me. Leo or Leona. Leonie? Ooh ooh! Make me their godfather. I'll be their favorite uncle. The cool one, you know. Uncle Leo… I like the sound of that."

"Shut up," Annabeth and Percy both said.

Sally laughed. "You'd make wonderful parents though, with the way you two have been looking after Estelle. I've been picturing blond grandchildren since you were twelve."

 _"Mom!"_ Percy exclaimed. Annabeth just blushed. Leo snorted in amusement. Sally grinned at her son unapologetically.

"Come home in time for dinner, Perce," Sally said. "Annabeth and I are going to make cookies."

Percy took that as a cue to leave. (His mother's baking was always an effective bribe.) After bidding each other goodbyes and ending the call, Leo said, "Okay then. You're not a dad."

"Nope."

"So…" Leo grinned. Waggling his eyebrows, he asked, "When are you lovebirds gonna get hitched?"

Percy rolled his eyes, but there was no mistaking his smile. Leo shook his head. Man, that boy was so whipped.


End file.
